Age 35 I wanted to change careers and move into conservation but knew I would need a degree to do it. I decided to do Environmental Science and enjoyed it so much I did a Masters as well.
Most of my peers wanted to go into consulting as it paid well but I knew I wanted to work outdoors and do practical work. After several interviews I realised the volunteering I had done during my studies wasn’t going to be enough to get a job, so I decided to become a VO as the Well office in Yorkshire wher I had recently had an interview. This meant leaving our house in Wales, and moving back into rental accommodation near the Well office.
My family all were shocked that with a degree and Masters I still needed to volunteer in order to get a job, and wondered why I had given up a well-paid job in banking to do it!
Fortunately, the move paid off and 5 months later I was offered a temporary position as a PO at the Norwich Office. That was 10 years ago and I am still here, still enjoying the work, still enjoying meeting new people, and I have never regretted giving up that well-paid job in banking.